


Discovery Channel

by bergann



Category: Numb3rs, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Crossover, M/M, Snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-31
Updated: 2010-01-31
Packaged: 2017-10-06 21:43:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/58068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bergann/pseuds/bergann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Last time I checked, the Air Force didn't let people go home just because someone they know has a birthday coming up."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Discovery Channel

When Colby drives home from work on Monday, he nearly kills the man standing in his drive way. In his defense, the whole weekend had been consumed by the last case and they'd lost an agent, so he'd chalked the Airman in his driveway up to lack of sleep. He opens the door and steps out, eyes on the man in his doorway the entire time. "Evan?"

Evan, who has stumbled back as Colby failed to slow down the car, laughs. "You're that mad for me leaving, huh?"

"No, I just -- what are you doing here?"

"Happy birthday," Evan says and spreads his arms wide in a way that makes Colby doubt Evan's been spending 18 months under military command with the Air Force. "You didn't think I forgot, did you?"

"That's bullshit," Colby says, arms crossed and for the moment he refuses to go to him. "Last time I checked, the Air Force didn't let people go home just because someone they know has a birthday coming up." Evan makes a face that lets Colby know he's right, in case he doubted it, and so he steps closer to Evan. "C'mon, why are you really here?"

"There was a funeral," Evan says, decidedly less cheerful now as something haunted takes over his features.

"Here?"

"No, actually it was in Scotland." Evan says, stoops down to pick up his bag that isn't the military one Colby expected. "Colby, can't we take this out of the driveway?"

Colby nods, stepping back and walking up to the house, absently thinking that it's much too big for him these days, and it's not like he has the time to take care of it. Evan seems to be following his line of thought as he marches - there really isn't another word for what he's doing, because suddenly he goes, "So you're still living here?"

"Thinking of selling," Colby answers and catches himself by surprise, he'd bitten back the initial response of a sarcastic 'obviously', but he'd only just thought of it. "I mean, work's been picking up and I think there are dinosaurs in the garden."

Evan lets out a surprised laugh, dropping the bag behind the door as Colby closes it. "They always were."

"Evan, what are you doing here?" Colby asks, turning to face him.

"Some of us got a month off for the funeral. They'd expected me back there taking over command for a month, but Carson, that's the doctor who died, I talked about him, remember? He'd requested me as one of those to carry the casket. The Colonel told me to take the time off same as the others returning, and where else would I go for a month?"

"I'm sorry about Carson," Colby says truthfully, because he does remember Evan writing about him. A Scottish doctor who had been, according to Evan, overworked as he tried to take care of everyone at once. "I know you liked him. How much leave do you have left?"

"Three weeks. And Colby, just... I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I know. There's Chinese in the fridge. I haven't slept in three days, so I'll see you in the morning." Colby glances at Evan, who hasn't quite lost his military stance. "Welcome back."

Evan's face splits into a grin, erasing the tension and stress that had been practically unnoticeable completely. "Yeah." Evan agrees simply, and disappears into the house like no time has passed at all. Colby sighs, rubbing his forehead and heading upstairs for the bedroom.

He wakes up in the middle of the night, expecting Evan to be right next to him in bed, but there isn't sign of him in the bedroom at all. He goes downstairs, Evan's bag is still behind the door in the hall, and by the sound of it, Evan is sitting in front of the television. "Jetlag?" Colby asks, standing in the doorway. Evan looks up, and the grin is unexpected.

"You really don't have any idea." Evan confesses, and Colby already knows there are details he'll never know about where Evan is stationed. "There's still some Chinese left."

"Yeah, thanks." Colby takes the offered box of fried rice and settles down next to Evan on the couch. "Dude, the Discovery channel, really?"

"Shut up," Evan laughs, sagging against Colby and Colby once again gets the impression that where ever Evan's been, it can't have been that military. "It's educational. You might find you actually need it."

"Evan, lately there hardly seems to be a single case where I don't have to rely on Charlie to solve incredibly complex math problems to catch our bad guy. Have I mentioned he keeps lecturing me on it?" Colby asks, mildly amused but he tries to focus on what's being said. It's about fingerprints and it does, he has to admit, look interesting. "Because this will be useful for you, how?"

"Oh, it won't. I just figured you'd come along sooner or later." Evan answers, jaw popping in a yawn, and falls asleep shortly after.


End file.
